Juvenile furniture



July 30, 1963 J. E. OHERRON JUVENILE FURNITURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 12, 1962 n W5. m W 3 Q July 30, 1963 J. E. OHERRON JUVENILE FURNITURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 12, 1962 INVENTOR. Jafi y Z. Ohz/ram #774 iii/5V6.

United States Patent Ofiice 3,099,477 Patented July 30, 1963 3,099,477 JUVENILE FURNITURE John E. QHerrou, 6580 Garland Ave., Detroit 13, Mich. Filed Apr. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 186,917 4 Claims. (Cl. 297-1) This invention relates to juvenile furniture, and more particularly to a combination chair and slide for childrens use.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a chair which will serve the dual function of a rocking chair and a slideway.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this character which may be quickly and easily converted from a chair to a slideway by the simple expedient of inverting the chair so that the back of the chair be comes an inclined slideway and the juncture of the rocker portion and arm at each side becomes a guard rail for the top end of the slide. In the latter position of the chair, it is intended to serve as an exercising or amusement device for children, in the use of which they will find both healthful exercise and amusement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this type which will be light in weight, sturdy and durable in construction, and artistic and attractive in appearance.

Other objects of the invention are to simplify the construction whereby the device may be economically manufactured from a minimum number of parts of simple design and which may be assembled with facility.

Various other objects and advantages, and the novel details of construction of one commercially practical embodiment of the invention will become more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the device,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view showing the de vice in an upright position and used as a rocking chair,

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view showing the device in a substantially inverted position and used as a slide board,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the device as it appears in FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the device as it appears in FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 6 is a detail sectional view taken on line 66 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 7 is a detail sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 8 is a detail sectional view taken on line 88 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 9 is a detail sectional view taken on line 99 of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 10 is a detail sectional view taken on line lill of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be noted that the chair comprises essentially a pair of side frame members It) and a pair of uprightframe members 12. The frame members 10 and 12 are preferably, but not necessarily, formed of tubular stock bent to the desired shape and configuration.

Each side frame member 10 has a portion thereof bent to a convex configuration to form a rocker portion 14. The opposite sides of each side frame member 10 are bent to form a portion 16, the front portion of which forms an arm 16a, and the rear portion of which, together with the adjacent portion of the rocker, forms a handrail portion 1612.

As shown, each side frame member is preferably formed from a continuous length of stock, and the front end of each frame member adjoining the rocker portion 14 is bent to form a leg 20 which is joined to an extension 17 of the arm 16a by a fastener 22, such as a bolt and nut or the like. A seat 23, which is preferably panshaped in cross section is secured adjacent its front edge to the side frame members 10 by the fasteners 22, and is secured adjacent its rear edge to the upright frame members 24 by means of fasteners 24a, see FIGURE 8. The ends of the portions 17 and 20 are preferably flattened as at 17a and 20a, respectively, to facilitate the juncture at 22.

The upright frame members '12 comprise a pair of tubular members 24 secured to the side frame members as at 26 and 28, respectively, see also FIGURES 7 and 9. The upper end of each upright frame member 24 is provided with a curved portion forming a nonrocking support 30. The curved portion 32 connecting the rocker portion and leg 26 also forms a nonrocking support, so that in the substantially inverted position of the chair shown in FIGURE 3, the device is supported upon these two nonrocking supports and the arm portion 16a clears the floor so that a six-point contact with the floor is avoided.

Extending between the upright frame members 24 is a panel 34 which is partially wrapped around the upright frame members 24 and secured thereto as by welding or the like. A cross member 36 has its ends butt welded to the frame members 24. The upper edge of the panel 34 is secured to the cross member 36 which extends between the upright frame members 24 by being partially wrapped around the cross member 36 and preferably welded thereto. The lower end of the panel 34 is partially wrapped around a transverse frame member 38 which extends between and is secured to the upright frame members 24- (see FIGURE 9). The upright frame members 24, the panel 34, and the cross members 36 and 38 may be manufactured as a subassembly.

The end of the panel 34, which in the inverted position of the chair constitutes the top of the slideway, is ribbed or provided with undulations 40 to provide a better footing for the children as they climb to the top of the slideway.

A transversely extending brace member 42 extends between the rocker portions 14 and is secured thereto by fasteners 44. This brace member may be used by the cllriild as a ladder rung to climb to the upper end of the s 1 e.

As will be noted from a comparison of FIGURES 2 and 3, the chair in its upright position may be used as a rocking chair, but when inverted so as to rest upon the nonrocking supports 30 and 32, the back portion comprising the panel 34 is inclined to provide a continuous slideway. Thus, children may climb up to the upper end of the slideway and stand or sit on the ribbed portion 40 and then slide down the slideway to and off the lower end. The rear portions of the rockers 14 together with the portions 1612 form handrails that may be grasped to prevent the child from falling off the slideway.

If desired, a seat cushion or pad 46 and a back cushion or pad 48 may be detachably or permanently secured to the structure heretofore described. The cushions or pads are not shown in FIGURE 1, but are shown in dot-anddash lines in FIGURES 2 and 3.

The side frame members 10 and the upright frame members 12 will preferably be made of tubular lightweight metal, such as aluminum, and the panel 34 and the seat 23 may likewise be made of aluminum or some other light-weight metal. Thus, the construction is such that the entire device will be light in weight but sturdy and durable in construction. Also, because tubular stock of this type lends itself to bending and shaping in graceful lines and contours, the device may be made artistic and attractive in appearance.

While a commercially practical embodiment of the in- 3 vention has been described and illustrated herein somewhat in detail, it will be understood that various changes may be made as may come within the purview of the accompanying claims.

What is claimed'is:

l. A combination chair and slide device comprising, a pair of side frame members matching parts of which are convex throughout a portion thereof to form rockers, the opposite sides of said side frame members being shaped to form an arm portion for the seat and a guard rail portion for the slide, leg members connecting the front ends of said arm and rocker portions and forming nonrocking supports at the juncture of said leg members and rocker portions, a pair of upright frame members connected to said side frame members, a seat forming element connected to said upright frame members and to said side frame members and operable when said device is resting on said rockers, a panel extending between said upright frame members and forming a back rest for the seat forming element and forming a slideway when the device is invented, the upper ends of said upright frame members being shaped to form laterally extending nonrocking supports to support the end of the slideway in spaced relation to a floor or the like, whereby said device may be substantially inverted to rest on said first and second mentioned nonrocking supports to dispose said slideway in an inclined position.

2. A combination chair and slide device comprising, a pair of side frame members matching parts of which are convex throughout a portion thereof to form rockers, the opposite sides of said frame members being shaped to form an arm portion adjacent the front end thereof for the seat and a guard rail portion adjacent the rear end thereof for the slide, leg members connecting the front ends of said arm and rocker portions and forming nonrocking supports at the juncture of said leg members and rocker portions, a pair of upright frame members connected to said side frame members, a seat forming element connected to said upright frame members and to said side frame members and operable when said device is resting on said rockers, a panel extending between said upright frame members and forming a back rest for the seat forming element and forming a slideway when the device is inverted, the upper ends of said upright frame members being formed with curved loop-shaped portions to form nonrocking supports to support the end of the slideway in spaced relation to a floor or the like, whereby said device may be substantially inverted to rest on said first and second mentioned nonrocking supports to dispose said slideway in an inclined position with the lower end thereof spaced from the floor or the like.

3. A combination chair and slide device comprising, a pair of tubular side frame members matching parts of which are convex throughout a portion thereof to form rockers and which also serve as handrails when ascending to the slide, the opposite side of said side frame members being shaped to form an arm portion adjacent the front end thereof for the seat, and a guard rail portion adjacent the rear end thereof for the slide, leg members connecting the front ends of said arm and rocker portions and forming nonrocking supports at the juncture of said leg members and rocker portions, a pair of tubular upright frame members connected to said side frame members, a seat member connected to said upright frame members and to said side frame members and operable when said device is resting on said rockers, a panel extending between said upright frame members and forming a back rest for the seat member and forming a slide when the device is inverted, a brace member extending between said rockers and functioning as a ladder rung When the device is inverted to slide position, and laterally extending curved portions on the upper ends of said upright frame members forming nonrocking supports to support the end of the slide in spaced relationto a floor or the like, whereby said device may be substantially inverted to rest on said first and second mentioned nonrocking supports to dispose said slide in an inclined position with the lower end thereof spaced above the floor or the like.

4. A combination chair and slide device comprising, a pair of tubular side frame members matching parts of which are convex throughout a portion thereof to form rockers and which also serve as hand rails when ascending to the slide, the opposite side of said side frame members being shaped to form an arm portion adjacent the front end thereof for the seat, and a guard rail portion adjacent the rear end thereof for the slide, leg members connecting the front ends of said arm and rocker portions and forming nonrocking supports at the juncture of said leg members and rocker portions, a pair of tubular upright frame members connected to said side frame members, a seat member connected to said upright frame members and to said side frame members and operable when said device is resting on said rockers, a panel extending between said upright frame members and forming a back rest for the seat member and forming a slide when the device is inverted, laterally extending curved portions on the upper ends of said upright frame members forming nonrocking supports to support the end of the slide in spaced relation to a floor or the like, whereby said device may be substantially inverted to rest on said first and second mentioned nonrocking supports to dispose said slide in an inclined position with the lower end thereof spaced above the floor or the like, and a brace member extending between said rockers and spaced longitudinally thereof to be located substantially above said first mentioned nonrocking support when the device is invented to slide position and serving as a ladder rung for ascending tothe slide.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 147,581 Coulter Sept. 30, 1947 D. 180,031 Pearlstine Apr. 9, 1957 804,958 K-ohn Nov. 21, 1905 1,441,940 Nafe Jan. 9, 1923 2,303,039 Gilkison Nov. 24, 1942 2,622,658 Morgan Dec. 23, 1952 2,624,393 Andrus "Jan. 6, 1953 2,688,997 Miller Sept. 14, .1954 2,854,062 Hetchler Sept. 30,1958 3,046,050 Fowler July 24, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,110 Austria 'Feb. 26, 1906 447,826 Great Britain May 25, 1936 

1. A COMBINATION CHAIR AND SLIDE DEVICE COMPRISING, A PAIR OF SIDE FRAME MEMBERS MATCHING PARTS OF WHICH ARE CONVEX THROUGHOUT A PORTION THEREOF TO FORM ROCKERS, THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID SIDE FRAME MEMBERS BEING SHAPED TO FORM AN ARM PORTION FOR THE SEAT AND A GUARD RAIL PORTION FOR THE SLIDE, LEG MEMBERS CONNECTING THE FRONT ENDS OF SAID ARM AND ROCKER PORTIONS AND FORMING NONROCKING SUPPORTS AT THE JUNCTURE OF SAID LEG MEMBERS AND ROCKER PORTIONS, A PAIR OF UPRIGHT FRAME MEMBERS CONNECTED TO SAID SIDE FRAME MEMBERS, A SEAT FORMING ELEMENT CONNECTED TO SAID UPRIGHT FRAME MEMBERS AND TO SAID SIDE FRAME MEMBERS AND OPERABLE WHEN SAID DEVICE IS RESTING ON SAID ROCKERS, A PANEL EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID UPRIGHT FRAME MEMBERS AND FORMING A BACK REST FOR THE SEAT FORMING ELEMENT AND FORMING A SLIDEWAY WHEN THE DEVICE IS INVERTED, THE UPPER ENDS OF SAID UPRIGHT FRAME MEMBERS BEING SHAPED TO FORM LATERALLY EXTENDING NONROCKING SUPPORTS TO SUPPORT THE END OF THE SLIDEWAY IN SPACED RELATION TO A FLOOR OR THE LIKE, WHEREBY SAID DEVICE MAY BE SUBSTANTIALLY INVERTED TO REST ON SAID FIRST AND SECOND MENTIONED NONROCKING SUPPORTS TO DISPOSE SAID SLIDEWAY IN AN INCLINED POSITION. 